Important! We regret to inform that Professor Birutė Galdikas’ scheduled teaching visit at Vytautas Magnus University has been canceled due to health issues. Professor Galdikas, a renowned anthropologist and primatologist of Lithuanian descent, has dedicated over five decades to the study and conservation of orangutans. Her commitment to environmental preservation has been an inspiration to many.
We understand that this news may be disappointing to those who were looking forward to her lectures and interactions. Our thoughts are with Professor Galdikas during this challenging time, and we wish her a swift and full recovery.
We appreciate your understanding and will keep you informed about any future developments regarding professor’s visit.
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Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) welcomes Prof. Birutė Galdikas, a world-renowned anthropologist of Lithuanian descent, environmentalist, and the most prominent researcher of orangutans.
This time, Prof. Galdikas is visiting as a guest of the Dana Gedvilienė Foundation under the Vytautas Kavolis Interdisciplinary Teaching Visit Program, dedicated to the Lithuanian diaspora*. From April 1 to April 11, Prof. B. Galdikas’ lectures at VMU will be open to anyone interested in orangutan research, as well as Indonesian history, culture, and the application of technology in primatology. This marks the first time that Prof. Galdikas is participating in an interdisciplinary teaching program that encompasses a broad historical and cultural context, inevitably linked to her direct research.
„Interdisciplinary studies and collaborations expand one’s knowledge, wisdom of the world and understanding of the universe so that problems can be seen in their larger contexts and things that might be overlooked in the narrow focus of one scientific discipline can be more easily seen. Truth comes from one’s belief system and that is also as true of scientific paradigms, but in a different way, as it is of culture and religion. Indonesian truth is a legacy of Indonesian history, culture, and spiritual belief and this is different from western European truth.“, asserts Prof. B. Galdikas.
April 1 (Tuesday) at 4:00 PM – Prof. Birutė Galdikas will deliver a public lecture titled “The Apes, Great and Small Gorillas” at VMU Science and Study Center (V. Putvinskio St. 23-103, Kaunas). Those unable to attend in person are invited to watch the live stream on VMU’s YouTube channel.
April 3 (Thursday) at 11:15 AM – Lecture on “Primate Evolution” at ŽŪA III Building (Academy, Universiteto St. 10-159).
April 8 (Tuesday) at 4:00 PM – Prof. B. Galdikas will discuss Indonesian History at VMU Science and Study Center (V. Putvinskio St. 23-103, Kaunas).
April 9 (Wednesday) at 12:00 PM – Lecture on “Technology in Primatology” at ŽŪA III Building (Academy, Universiteto St. 10-164).
April 11 (Friday) at 2:30 PM – At the VMU Faculty of Social Sciences (Jonavos St. 66-208, Kaunas), Prof. B. Galdikas will give a lecture on Indonesian Culture and meet with VMU social anthropology students.
All lectures will be conducted in English and are open to the general public as well as students from other universities in Lithuania.
*Prof. B. Galdikas’ teaching visit at VMU runs under the VMU Vytautas Kavolis interdisciplinary Professorship program. Professorship scholarship has been established by the Dana Gedvila Fund, which is administered by the Lithuanian Foundation. Kavolis Interdisciplinary Professorship is a cooperation program dedicated to the visits of Lithuanian diaspora lecturers at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). It aims to strengthen both the interdisciplinary approach in the study programs and the ties with the Lithuanian diaspora academic community.
